


Sympathies at Sea

by Beth Harker (chiana606), chiana606



Category: Little Women Series - Louisa May Alcott
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 20:57:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9022433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiana606/pseuds/Beth%20Harker, https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiana606/pseuds/chiana606
Summary: Amy and Laurie share their favorite memories of Beth.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kindness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kindness/gifts).



> Written as a Yuletide treat. I hope you enjoy it!

"I can scarcely believe that we shall arrive home in a matter of days," said Amy. She was staring out at the sea, which stretched out seamlessly in all directions. It was tempting, very tempting indeed, to imagine a glimpse of land somewhere beyond its vastness. This voyage with Amy was one that Laurie was quite certain he would remember fondly for all of his life, but he was also excited by the prospect of stepping once more on American soil, and setting up house with his new wife. 

"If only every day at sea was as tranquil as this," said Laurie, "I could be a sailor yet. Imagine, if you will, your boy at the helm of a ship, shouting _heave ho, me mateys, and away we blows!_ Laurie wrapped his arms around Amy's slender waist, rocking her as if they were on a stormy sea, and she laughed as she slapped his hands away. 

"I'd worry about you," Amy admitted. "And miss you terribly. Don't talk about going away, when I'm happy, so very happy, to have you at my side." 

Laurie grinned like a boy who'd run down the stairs on Christmas morning, to find his entire living room piled high with presents. The truth was, he had been wearing that exact smile a lot lately. He took Amy in his arms once more, and as he was much less tumultuous about it this time, she happily accepted his embrace. 

They stood like this for a while, staring out at the ocean, each lost in their own thoughts. As the minutes passed, Laurie realized that Amy had started to trace his fingers, which held fast to the brass railing at the bow of the ship, with the tips of her own slender ones. The gentle sensation sent such pleasant shivers up Laurie's spine, that he almost did not notice how somber his wife had grown. 

"What are you thinking of, my lady?" he asked. Laurie wanted nothing more than to kiss away the worried crease of Amy's forehead, but as that might be dismissive of her very real feelings, he refrained. 

"Only that I wish our journey could be longer." 

"I could stay here with you forever and think myself in heaven," said Laurie, "but then we'd miss out on Marmee's cooking waiting for us back at home, and how excited little Demi and Daisy will be when they meet meet their 'European' uncle and aunt."

"I am thinking of those things," said Amy. "But also of who won't be waiting for me. I'm afraid home shan't be home without her." 

Laurie rubbed Amy's arm gently. There was a slight tremor about her lip, but she was a brave little woman, and pushed it away manfully before it could shatter her. 

"Do you want to know my favorite memory of dear Beth?" Amy asked, in a voice that was miraculously smooth and even.

"Go on." 

"When I was a eight years old, I caught the chicken pox, from her in fact, so we both looked like plucked geese, only she was half recovered, and I was abjectly miserable, you know..." 

Laurie nodded. 

"Well, to cheer me up, Beth said that she would play whatever songs I wished for me on the poor old piano all day. Jo wasn't there, and Meg wasn't there, so there was nobody to keep me from troubling Beth with the most extravagant melodies, the ones that were _real_ art according to what I'd been able to pick up in books and at school." 

"And she played them?" Laurie asked. 

"She did her very best, though in truth she'd learned mostly hymns and nursery songs up to that point. She played slowly and thoughtfully, biting her lip in concentration, and taking great care to find each note. And the dear girl, she never once teased me for asking for 'sympathies' when I really meant 'symphonies'. I suppose she gave me both." 

Laurie pushed Amy's hair away from his face, remembering the little girl that his elegant wife had once been. How odd, to think he'd known her back then, not at eight perhaps, but at twelve and thirteen, and all the way to now. 

He'd known Beth too, and loved her as his very own sister. Laurie sighed.

"I never knew Beth to play better than when she played for others," said Laurie. 

"I agree! She hadn't a hint of showmanship, which makes it all the odder. If you asked her to give a little concert, she was often become nervous and mix up the notes. If you told her that you were feeling ill and needed a distraction, it was like inviting the very spirit of Mozart into your house."

Amy took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She squared her shoulders. Some of the sadness had gone from her features, to be replaced with a melancholy sort of happiness, for her memories were sweet ones. 

"Jo will have made a shrine of her little piano, if I know anything about her," said Laurie. 

"You must be very kind to Jo," Amy agreed. "She's devastated... as are we all, but you know how Jo is. I wish the two of us hadn't fought so much. I would give her solace now. Being away from my sisters for so long and losing dear Beth has made me realize that I value them more than anything else in the world. If I can somehow channel Beth, and be as sweet and peaceful with Jo as she was, I shall be satisfied with myself." 

Amy stopped playing with Laurie's hand here, and gripped tight to the railing. Laurie frowned. 

"The two of you have grown up," Laurie mused. "We all have, and by George, the process has taken us down some paths that we could have never guessed as children. Still, I imagine that Jo will want you to be her Amy, as you always have, even though you may clash from time to time." 

"In that case she should be happy as long as I don't run through the house setting fire to the things she holds dear," Amy teased, unaware of what a funny picture that made in Laurie's mind, for she had grown far too poised to pull off pranks and tantrums convincingly, even in his imagination. 

"You won't do that," Laurie laughed. "But you two shall challenge each other, and that's an excellent thing." 

Amy thought about that, and then relaxed more into Laurie's embrace. He did not take her problems away, but he was good to talk to about them, and an excellent life partner in every sense of the word. She said no more, but silently resolved to pay homage to Beth every day, not by imitating her, but by loving her family for what it was, and herself for who she was.


End file.
